1Current Radiation Levels in Japan

Circular letter No....

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4 ALBERT EMBANKMENT

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1Current radiation levels in Japan

1.1In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami off the eastern coast of Japan
on 11 March 2011 and the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan,
an updated joint press briefing was issued (14 April 2011) by the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Tourism Organization and the International Labour Organization stating that they remainedconfident that current radiation levels do not present health or transportation safety hazards to passengers and crews.

1.2On 18 March 2011, based on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry assessed the significance rating of the accident at the plant as Level 5. On 12 April 2011, this assessment was revised to Level 7 following information obtained from estimations of the amount of radioactive material discharged to the atmosphere.

1.3Radiation monitoring around airports and seaports in Japan continues to confirm that levels remain well within safe limits from a health perspective. In addition, monitoring of passengers, crew and cargo from Japan carried out to date in other countries, in accordance with their national policy, does not suggest any health or safety risk. Therefore, screening of radiation for health and safety purposes is currently considered unnecessary at airports and seaports around the world.

1.4For updates, travellers visiting Japan by air are advised to consult a dedicated website established by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau:

1.5Further information covering all aspects of the response of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, as well as information regarding the radiation dose in Tokyo Bay and at sea in the region can be found on the following websites:

1.6Further information is available on the website of the World Health Organization

2NAVAREA warnings

2.1NAVAREA warnings including designated dangerous area around the Plant have been issued by the NAVAREA XI Coordinator (Japan) and also other precautionary warnings have been issued by other NAVAREA Coordinators.

3Action required

3.1Member Governments and organizations are invited to bring this circular to the attention of shipowners and shipmasters and advise them to comply with the latest navigational warnings issued by the NAVAREA XI Coordinator (Japan), taking into account further precautionary advice issued by other NAVAREA Coordinators, in the wake of the damage to the Plant.

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 Information concerning travel and transport to and from Japan by air or sea is not dependent on the INES rating.